Do I have to join the crowd and learn about social media? | HeraldTribune.com

Interesting Article: Do I have to join the crowd and learn about social media? | HeraldTribune.com

Social Media is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Although it has been a few years since businesses have created a budget line item for “online” many still wrestle with the idea that Social Media is a long term project and probably will not yield immediate results. In much the way that traditional media required repetition of messages to build a company's brand, social media marketing requires a business to engage with it's customers and itself (greater detail below) for a time before the business can make in-roads and generate new customers. If you as a business owner intends on being in business five years from now, the sooner you begin to create an online marketing strategy the greater the chance that you will stay in business.

It may not take five years for your business to build it brand online, and let's face it, if it did take five years, it's probably already too late. Planning now for the changing business environment will put you in better position to communicate with clients and build their trust online. When I speak with businesses, I suggest that they plan their online marketing efforts at least one to three years in advance. Even though the Internet changes daily and there is no telling what may come even three months from now, I think general goals for online marketing every 6 to 12 months are a good place to start.

Are you talking to yourself?

When a social media page is created for you business you may feel initially that communication is only flowing one way and it seems like you are talking to yourself online. Unless you are a brand that is somewhat established this is very normal. You may be getting new followers or fans everyday, but these new people want to feel you out first before they engage in communication with you let alone give you money for your services. The speed to which you start to receive feedback from potential customers online is almost always due to the content that you are publishing online. Content is the extension of your business online and if your content is poor or does not have a clear connection to your business or product these “new” followers will tune out your messages, or just pick up a leave altogether.

The key in running a Social Media campaign for your business is to stay in it for the lone haul, because like many things in business this industry is going to be about staying power and the value you will provide clients.

Social Media Marketing Strategy Twitter vs. Facebook: Which is Better

This is a great posting by Online PR News on the Pros and Cons of both Facebook and Twitter

Social Media Marketing Strategy Twitter vs. Facebook: Which is Better

Why isn't your business using Social Media?

The apprehension of using Social Media for business comes from the way Social Media is depicted in traditional media. Facebook was the subject of hundreds of news stories on TV and in the paper about privacy concerns yesterday. I would never downplay the severity, because the breach of a person's  information is very harmful and dangerous. On the other hand I would say that a business page on a social network is much less of a security risk than a personal profile.

The latest security breach was found in Facebook applications. About 90% of Facebook applications are found on individual profiles and not business pages. A business certainly can and do use Facebook Applications, and all applications (just like everything we do on Facebook) are only used on an opt-in basis. Most businesses use pages like Facebook or Twitter as marketing tools rather than a place to post personal information.


What traditional media never reports on is the hundreds of success stories of businesses using social media to increase customer service ratings and target customers better than any TV commercial or newspaper ad could. If Social Media campaigns are created carefully and carried out effectively, this medium will be a very safe and highly effective way to market and brand your company.

If your business doesn't use social media as a marketing tool, why do you think you aren't?

The Best Social Networks for Any Industry!

Many businesses are looking for new ways to utilize social media to promote themselves, check competitors and open up better channels to speak to potential customers. I have compiled a list of the best industry specific social networks. I came up with this list based on site traffic, google search rankings and membership level.

Feel free to add additional categories and sites. If you have other questions or comments let them be known! Here is the list:

Accounting- http://www.accounting-networks.com/

Art & Design- http://www.art-networks.net/

Attorneys- http://connect.legalrow.com/

Automotive- http://wheelstv.tv/mygarage/

Books- http://www.shelfari.com/

Business- www.linkedin.com

Charity- http://www.the-charity-network.com/

Deals & Discounts- www.groupon.com

Education- http://education.ning.com/

Employment- http://www.linkedin.com

Family- http://efamily.com

Fashion- http://www.fashionising.com/

Financial Services- http://www.socialturns.com/

Food- http://www.grouprecipes.com/

Home Improvement- http://www.bejane.com

Music- http://www.last.fm/

News- http://www.twitter.com

Politics- http://politics4all.com

Real Estate- http://activerain.com/

Science- http://www.researchgate.net/

Small Business- http://qapacity.com/

Sports- http://mvpspot.com/

Travel- http://www.wayn.com/waynsplash.html

I will add more later in the week!

Developing an Effective Social Media Campaign

As more and more businesses see the potential of social networking in promoting their business and connecting with potential customers, those who have mastered the nuances and applications of the more popular social networks are more in demand. Choosing just anyone to be your businesses' "Social Media Manager" is becoming a very important business decision and should not be taken lightly. The days of asking your twenty-something nephew to run your Facebook page or blog are just about over. This post discusses ways that your business can and SHOULD position itself in the Social Media world. I will also explain some important factors that should be considered when deciding how to go about carrying out a Social Media campaign into your marketing/PR plan.

The early arguments against using Social Media to brand a business was that "Facebook is just a fad" or "Social Media doesn't sell." Many businesses even now have not bought into the "hype" of Social Media. Imagine a world where customers could write about a positive and negative experience that they have had with a business, share it with the whole world and their comments can never be recanted. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is the world we live in today! Whether or not you choose to play the game or not you are still a part of if. Just as you would never want to have a bad news story or two on the six o-clock new (e.g. BP) negative press posted on Twitter can be damaging. (Possibly even more so.)

The important thing is, if you have a properly built social media plan you can meet many of your challenges and customer complaints head on. If you present your business on social networks and have a system of correspondence with your clients in place your business will be seen as transparent and authentic. Who would not want to broadcast good will to thousands of potential customers.


Some important questions to think about before carrying out a Social Media campaign into your business plan include:

1) Who is the target market we are looking to reach?
2) Will we use social media for PR or promoting and selling products?
3) Do we need to have an in-house team manage Social Media or can this be outsourced?


Target Market
Social Media is more than Teenagers and young professionals. According to a report from Forrester Research, the use of social networking by people aged 35 to 54 grew 60 percent in the last year. When I ask my clients who their "target market" they typically say something like (18-49, Male, middle to high income). What I really mean when I ask that question is, what are some interests your "target market" have or what does your perfect client look like? Most businesses do not drill down that much on their target market but Social Media not only allows for that, Social Media encourages it. If your company sells a certain trinket, wouldn't be nice to know where to find people who use and love that trinket? Common sense I know!

PR or Marketing...or Both
Often times businesses will publish a Facebook page without much idea of what they should post or how they should really use it. Before I even work on a proposal for a client I need to know what they want to do with their site.  Some businesses create separate profiles for customer service and sales, which is good. The key is to make sure to spend equal time on both. If a potential customer buys your product and cannot get a response when they have an issue or question then that customer may be lost forever. After that happens that negative press that you just love comes out.  When a business tries to create a sales page under the illusion of a PR page that is where businesses run into trouble. If you try to draw many followers to your business page and stuff ads and spam down their throats, you can lose all of them very quickly.

In-House or Outsource?
This is a tough one. What I suggest if you do not have employees that are well versed in social media management or "know just enough to be dangerous" is to find someone to implement the initial Social Media plan. This development time is typically (3-6 months). After your social media plan is executed have the consultant train your staff on how to interact with clients, develop creative content and integrate social media applications. The knowledge that your staff gains will be invaluable to your business as time goes on.

Overall, I think that every business should and at some point will use social media. It's really a no-brainer and will save your business thousands of dollars in the long run, rather than wasting money on traditional (dying) advertising.